If the lowest declared salt value among the products compared here matters most, M&S Organic Italian Chopped Tomatoes lists 0.03g per 100g. Napolina Chopped Tomatoes lists 0.10g per 100g and offers a chunky base for a thicker accompaniment; Mutti Finely Chopped Tomatoes lists 0.30g per 100g for a finer texture. All three meet the NHS definition of low salt, but their different values and textures make the exact tin worth checking before you season a fish-and-chips-night sauce.
A homemade tomato accompaniment lets you check the tin’s salt value alongside the other parts of the meal. The NHS advises counting salt already in food as well as salt added during cooking or at the table.
If you want tomato pieces in a spoonable sauce, chopped tomatoes are the format to consider. Napolina describes its Chopped Tomatoes as chunky and suitable for thick sauces.
Finely chopped tomatoes suit a more even sauce or dip-style accompaniment. Mutti describes its Polpa as finely chopped; check its salt value separately from its texture.
Choose a tomato cut that suits the accompaniment you plan to make, then compare salt on the same per-100g basis. A front-of-pack description alone does not tell you how the exact tin compares.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Salt per 100g | Compare the nutrition panels per 100g, not different suggested portions. The NHS defines low salt as 0.3g or less per 100g. | I want to account for salt in the tomatoes as well as the rest of the fish-and-chips meal. M&S, Napolina and Mutti respectively declare 0.03g, 0.10g and 0.30g per 100g for the products discussed here. |
| Tomato cut | Check whether the tin contains chopped tomatoes or finely chopped pulp. Napolina describes its chopped product as chunky; Mutti describes Polpa as finely chopped. | For a sauce with visible tomato pieces, I would choose a chopped format. If I want a more even texture, I would look at finely chopped tomatoes instead. |
| Ingredients and seasoning | Read the ingredients list for added salt, then taste the finished sauce before seasoning it. Mutti lists salt in Polpa’s ingredients. | I would rather decide how to season a homemade accompaniment after tasting it, particularly when serving it with other seasoned foods. |
| Leftovers | Read the storage directions on the pack you buy; opened-product timeframes can differ. Follow its instructions for transferring, covering and refrigerating leftovers. | If I am using only part of a tin, I need to know how to store the remainder rather than applying another product’s timeframe. |
The three products compared here declare between 0.03g and 0.30g salt per 100g, despite all meeting the NHS low-salt definition.
Use the per-100g figure on the exact tin to compare them; do not use brand familiarity as a substitute for the nutrition panel.
The NHS notes that daily salt intake includes salt already in food and salt added during or after cooking. Other parts of a fish-and-chips meal may also be seasoned.
Try garlic, herbs, pepper, chilli or lemon for flavour, then taste the finished tomato accompaniment before deciding whether to add salt.
A lower declared salt value will not make a chunky tomato sauce smooth, or give finely chopped pulp visible pieces.
Decide which texture suits how you will serve the accompaniment, then compare salt values for the tins you are considering.
Joybuy’s Napolina listing says to refrigerate opened contents and use them within 2 days; a Mutti 12-pack listing says to refrigerate after opening and consume within 5 days. Those directions are product-specific.
Check the pack you bought and follow its instructions for storing the opened tomatoes.
These examples help distinguish individual products and formats; a salt value for one tin does not describe an entire brand range.
M&S Organic Italian Chopped Tomatoes 400g declares 0.03g salt per 100g, according to Marks & Spencer’s product information.
Napolina describes its Chopped Tomatoes as chunky and suitable for thick sauces.
Mutti Polpa is a finely chopped tomato product for cooks who prefer a more even texture.
Tesco Groceries lists own-label chopped tomatoes alongside Napolina and Mutti products.
These Joybuy options cover chopped Napolina tomatoes for a chunkier accompaniment and finely chopped Mutti tomatoes for a more even one. Compare the salt information on the pack you receive when choosing between formats or multipacks.
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A chopped format to consider for a chunky homemade accompaniment. This pack contains four 400g tins; Napolina declares 0.10g salt per 100g for its Chopped Tomatoes. Check the pack label before adding seasoning.
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This chopped format suits a sauce in which you want tomato pieces. The listing identifies six 400g tins; Napolina publishes a value of 0.10g salt per 100g for its Chopped Tomatoes, so check the label on this pack for your comparison.
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Finely chopped tomatoes are an option for a more even-textured accompaniment. This pack is listed as four 400g tins; Mutti declares 0.30g salt per 100g for Polpa and lists salt as an ingredient. That value sits at the NHS low-salt boundary, so compare the exact pack if a lower declared value matters more than texture.
The NHS defines low salt as 0.3g of salt or less per 100g of food. Compare the per-100g figures on the tins: Marks & Spencer lists 0.03g for M&S Organic Italian Chopped Tomatoes, Napolina lists 0.10g for Chopped Tomatoes, and Mutti lists 0.30g for Polpa.
Check the exact salt figure per 100g on the nutrition panel, even when front-of-pack wording draws attention to salt. The NHS notes that labels may also give values per portion, and the stated portion may differ from the amount you use.
Choose by the texture you want: Napolina describes its chopped tomatoes as chunky and suitable for thick sauces, while Mutti describes Polpa as finely chopped. Then check salt separately; tomato cut does not establish the salt value.
Follow the instructions on the product you opened. Joybuy’s Napolina listing says to transfer opened contents to a covered non-metallic container, refrigerate and use within 2 days; its Mutti 12-pack listing gives a 5-day timeframe after opening. Do not apply one listing’s timeframe to another tin.
No. GOV.UK describes front-of-pack nutrition labelling as voluntary. Whether or not a tin uses traffic-light colours, read its nutrition information for the salt value per 100g.